we also have a looming budget deficit. so you don't have to really be a rocket scientist to understand that the rich do have to pay more. taxes do have to be raised on the rich and i think that's why over 60% of the public in these polls are not only supportive of a tax increase on the rich, but also will blame the republicans if we go over the fiscal cliff. and this gives frankly, this gives the white house and this gives the obama administration much more bargaining leverage. >> grover norquist, here's the problem, it seems to me. again, as long as the posturing goes on with fairly ridiculous offers on both sides and lots of political rhetoric along the lines of well, they're not giving an inch, we're going backwards, you can't really go backwards from a position of complete standstill, as far as i'm concerned. as this goes on, the american economy stalls, wall street's nervous, the consumers that should be out there now buying lots of christmas presents and boosting the economy will be reticent because they'll be thinki